A patient in a hospital often has the need to be infused with one or more fluids, including a variety of drugs. This can require the use of at least one infusion pump. In addition, the infusion pump can be programmed to deliver the one or more fluids to the patient at a variety of infusion rates.
A hospital patient often has the need for multiple intravenous (IV) infusions from multiple supplies of fluids, such as drugs. This can require the use of multiple infusion pumps that are connected to the patient and to fluid containers via fluid lines. In addition, each fluid infusion pump can be programmed to pump fluid to the patient at a variety of infusion rates. The infusion rates can depend on a number of factors including type of fluid, such as drugs, and the needs of the patient.
It can also be important to maintain the programmed infusion rates in order to ensure that the patient being infused with the fluids is not receiving too much or not enough of the fluid. In some instances, the patient can be harmed if given too much or not enough of a recommended dose of fluid. Additionally, in some cases, if the patient receives too much or not enough of a fluid the patient can be severely injured and can be negatively affected. Therefore, it can be critical that patients receive the proper amount of fluid.
Infusion pumps can provide a way to deliver a fluid to a patient at a programmed infusion rate. However, a variety of factors can cause the infusion pump to become more or less efficient such that the programmed infusion rate is disturbed. For example, due to changes in pressure in the fluid lines, more or less fluid per pumping action of the infusion pump can result in more or less fluid delivered to the patient than what was programmed to be delivered.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for methods and devices for adapting the pumping mechanism of an infusion system in order to maintain a programmed infusion rate.